Leeās Palace: 37 years as Bloorās live music ācrown jewelā
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Posted October 21, 2022 10:19 am.
Last Updated October 21, 2022 12:05 pm.
For nearly 40 years, Leeās Palace in Harbord Village has been buzzing with energy.
Youāll spot band members carrying guitar cases across Bloor Street, or fans lining the sidewalk for a sold-out show.
āEven just walking by on a Saturday or a Friday night, you can really tell that this is the place in the neighbourhood thatās got something going on,ā said assistant bar manager John Pitts. āItās really a cultural hub for all types of people.ā
Leeās Palace has been a staple of Torontoās live music scene since 1985, with early shows headlined by local icons Blue Rodeo and Goddo, and an appearance from the Tragically Hip before they had released their first album.
āEverybody loves Leeāsā¦itās just a phenomenal place,ā said Daniel Tate, co-author of The Flyer Vault.
The book documents Torontoās concert history through posters and flyers from venues across the city. Tate also curates their Instagram account, sharing an even deeper dive into the archives with more than 19,000 followers.
āAnytime I post a Leeās Palace flyer, lose yourself in the comments. People are always talking about meeting their future wife there, or being in a mosh pit there getting their butt kicked, but they loved itā¦everybody who loves music in Toronto must have a Leeās Palace story.ā



Many of those stories involve seeing some of the biggest bands in the world with just a few hundred people. Through the 1980s and 90s, Leeās Palace gained a reputation as a springboard for rock royalty, with bands hitting the tiny stage on the cusp of a meteoric rise.
āA lot of artists were no-names and then played Leeās and after that, really took off,ā Tate said.
āThe Red Hot Chili Peppers, they played their first Toronto show at Leeās Palace in 1986. Alanis Morisette, one of her early shows was at Leeās. So, Leeās has always been one of those sort of mythical venues where if you play it, itās almost like a right of passage to take you to the next level, and not many venues can claim that,ā he added.
One of the most revered Leeās Palace shows was Nirvanaās Toronto debut in 1990, five months before the release of their album Nevermind. By most accounts, the show was poorly attended, with only about 100 people coming through the door. A frustrated Kurt Cobain started tossing bottles at his own drummer, and then into the crowd.
āThe crowd kind of took his lead, picked up their bottles and started throwing them at the stage,ā Tate explained.



āThat show is recorded, you can listen to it on YouTube and near the end, you hear just all this glass shattering and then Kurt goes on the mic and says āI hope you guys recycle these after.'ā
Outside of Leeās Palace youāll often spot people stopping to take pictures of the iconic mural, or pausing to reminisce on a past show.
āLeeās Palace reminds me of when I was playing about 20 years agoā¦you used to see the greatest bands come in here,ā said one local resident walking along Bloor.
āThis is probably a huge cultural experience for anybody who wants to experience something that comes from rock rootsā¦ itās a small space, but itās wonderful.ā
For some, the venueās greatest claim to fame isnāt actually a concert, but a connection to a Toronto-based cult classic.
āIām stoked to be here because thereās a cool history with Leeās Palace in terms of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,ā said one fan lining up for a show. The 2010 Edgar Wright film featured one of its signature fight scenes inside Leeās.
After 37 years on Bloor Street, Leeās Palace has solidified itself as an icon in Harbord Village.
āNow that Honest Edās is no more, to me Leeās is the anchor, the crown jewel,ā Tate said. āWe need to make sure that Leeās is given all the protection, tax breaks, and any other benefits or advantages that the city can give them to keep them operating.ā
For venue staff, the focus remains the same: bringing people the best concert experience possible.
āIt really is special to see people smiling and excited to be here,ā said Pitts. āThereās a little bit of magic when you enter the door.ā